The Parliament of Ghana has approved Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as the country’s next Chief Justice, following the presentation of the Appointments Committee’s report after his vetting on Monday, 10 November.
Presenting the Committee’s report to Parliament on Thursday, 13 November, the Chairman, Bernard Ahiafor, said the recommendation for approval was made by a majority decision after careful deliberation.
According to the report, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie demonstrated “outstanding competence, a deep understanding of the law, and a firm grasp of judicial ethics.”
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The House subsequently debated the report, with members of the Minority Caucus opposing the approval. They argued that the process should be suspended until the conclusion of legal actions filed by former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo.
Speaking for the Minority, the Member of Parliament for Akuapim North, Samuel Awuku, stated:
If Justice Baffoe-Bonnie is approved by Parliament today, and the ECOWAS Court or the Supreme Court later rules otherwise, the Constitution does not provide clear guidance on how such a situation should be addressed.
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Sammi Awuku
He added:
We hold the view that this process should be paused until the ongoing matters are resolved. On this basis, we call on the House to reject the nominee.
However, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, speaking for the Majority, defended the nominee, describing Justice Baffoe-Bonnie as the right choice to lead the judiciary. He argued that his appointment breached no constitutional provisions. He said:
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Mr Speaker, we all know that our judiciary is at a crossroads. Public trust in its performance is declining, as various studies have shown. We therefore need an experienced and steady hand to steer the judiciary forward. The right person at this moment is someone who has served with distinction for over three decades, and that person is Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie.
Following a voice vote for the adoption of the report, Speaker Alban Bagbin declared the approval of Justice Baffoe-Bonnie’s nomination. However, the minority caucus challenged the decision which prompted the Speaker to direct for a headcount.
The majority Caucus however with their huge numbers won the headcount with 163 members present against the minority who had 69 members in the house.
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Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie will now be sworn in by President John Dramani Mahama as Ghana’s Chief Justice.
